Sikh lad Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa’s protest against alleged illegal detention of six Sikhs found an echo in different parts of Punjab on Tuesday.
lending their voice to the agitation, his supporters conducted protest march in all districts of Punjab outside district headquarters and submitted memorandum addressing Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and the Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde seeking release of six Sikh prisoners, who have completed their sentence.
His campaign also received a shot in the arm with the ruling Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) coming in its support, and the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) forming a five-member committee for fulfilling Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa’s demands and also to solve the issue “within 15 days”.
With Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa’s hunger strike entering 34th day on Tuesday, SAD chief and Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal, while talking with the media at lehra Mohabbat in Bathinda district, categorically said: “SAD is always in favour of releasing those who have completed their sentence.”
Without giving any assurance whether the State Government would raise the issue, Sukhbir said that the names of detainees provided by Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa relates to other states like Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan.
Gurbaksh Singh has been fasting since November 14 seeking the release of six Sikhs, initially five, languishing in prisons “after completion of their jail sentences”, including Gurmeet Singh, Shamsher Singh, lakhwinder Singh — all lodged in Chandigarh’s Burail Jail since 1995 convicted for their involvement in assassinating former Chief Minister Beant Singh on August 31, 1995.
On the other hand, the SAD-led DSGMC has assured to resolve the issue, and formed a committee comprising SAD leaders Avtar Singh Hit, Onkar Singh Thapar, DSGMC joint secretary Harmeet Singh Kalka, head of DSGMC dharma parchar committee Paramjit Singh Rana, and SP Singh from the Sikh Sangat.
“The Sikh Sangat from Delhi had approached the DSGMC to solve the issue raised by Gurbaksh Singh, who is sitting on hunger strike for past 34 days in Gurdwara Amb Sahib at Mohali. For the same, we have formed a five-member committee, which would meet Gurbaksh Singh on Wednesday,” said DSGMC chief Manjit Singh GK.
He said that the committee has been given all rights to take up the matter, saying that the issue would be resolved within 15 days. Calling it a panthic issue, Manjit Singh GK said that DSGMC would continue its political and legal battle for release of Sikhs languishing in jails despite having completed their jail sentences.
Already, the SAD-led Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) has decided to hold consultations with the legal experts and then take a call on the future course of action. “We are in the process of consulting legal experts…the release of Sikh detainees will take time as it has to pass through proper legal process,” said a senior SGPC member.
Akal Takht head priest Giani Gurbachan Singh had directed the SGPC to seek legal opinion and set the ball rolling to initiate the process for their release. He had also appealed to Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa to shun the path of hunger strike as it was against the tenets of Sikhism, though clarifying he may continue with his struggle for the cause.
At the same time, various Sikh organizations, in association with local Sikh Sangat, held district level protest in all districts of Punjab on Tuesday on the call of Bandi Singhs Rihai Morcha (Amb Sahib) initiated by Gurbaksh Singh Khalsa. The protests, receiving considerable response, were held at district headquarters and dharnas were staged outside district administration offices. later, memorandums were jointly handed over by all organizations participating in the dharnas or protest to the concerned district authorities.
The memorandum was demanding release of six Sikh political prisoners — Gurmeet Singh, lakhwinder Singh and Shamsher Singh, lal Singh currently in Nabha’s Maximum Security Jail, Wariam Singh currently now in Uttar Pradesh’s Bans Bareli Jail, and Gurdeep Singh Khaira currently in Karnatka Gurbarg Jail.